Prayer from the Heart (HOMILY FOR THE 30TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR C

Homily for 30th Sunday in the Ordinary Time, Year C. (Mission Sunday). 

Sirach 35:12c-14,16-18b; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Luke 18:9-14.

Theme: Prayer from the Heart.

Last Sunday, Jesus taught the importance of the power of trusting and persevering in prayer. Today He is teaching us on true and honest prayer, the prayer of a humble person which is always pleasing to God.

In the First Reading, the Book of Sirach says, "The Lord is the judge, and with him is no partiality. He will not show partiality in the case of a poor man; and he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged" (Sir.35:12-13). The Lord answers the prayers of all, but the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, the ones who can least help themselves, are always his concern. The best prayer is that of loyal, willing service. The prayer of the humble man will be answered.

The Book of Sirach reminds us of this fact, "The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord" (Sir.35:17).

The Responsorial Psalm attest to this fact, "The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him".

The lessons from the First Reading is the background of today's Gospel. In today's Gospel Jesus continues on his teaching on prayer with a parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. According to today's Gospel, Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others (Luke 18:9).  From the beginning of the parable we can see that the the two men share an external purpose but have entirely different agendas. The Pharisee did not come to pray to God. He is simply talking to himself. There is no love of God in his words, nor any vestige of humility for that matter. He stands before God and give thanks for his own rectitude. He compares his upright behaviour with that of other people and finds himself justified. From his prayer, he does not need God since he is full of himself.

The tax collector on the other hand stood afar off because he was aware of his nothingness before God. He would not lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" (Luke 18:13). The tax collector won God over with his humility and trust, because "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). The parable teaches us that our prayer should be full of humility, attentive and trusting. We should avoid acting like the 'praying' Pharisee with his self-centered monologue (Francis Fernandez: In Conversation with God. Vol.5. Pharisee.331). Jesus concluded this parable by telling us that the tax collector went down to his house justified than the Pharisee; "for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:14).

In the spirit of seeing our achievements as gift from God, St. Paul in the Second Reading is saying that one day he will receive from God the "crown" that the just judge will give to all who have given their lives for the Gospel. It will be a gift, not a reward due to him.

Today is Mission Sunday, when we are reminded of our responsibilities towards the mission of the Universal Church. Every one is a missionary; a missionary in giving the love and care of Christ to all. Every little action done with love is a mission. Some go into mission by giving themselves, like the priests and religious while some others go into the mission by giving their means, the generous lay faithful. When we do not know what mission activity we can engaged in, the best mission is to pray for others.

Today's Gospel has placed before us two attitudes: pride and humility. When we are too much taken up with ourselves, it affects all our senses, including common sense. There will be no room for growth. Humility opens all our senses. A humble person does not have the fear of falling because he/she is already with feet firmly on a solid ground. A humble person will be able to see and meet the need of his/her neighbours; and that is the greatest missionary activity.

Let us apply this simple rule to guide our level of humility: if you are conscious of yourself as being righteous, then you are most certainly not righteous. You are a Pharisee! By the same token, if you are conscious of yourself as being humble, then you are most certainly not humble. You are carrying a heavy load of pride inside your head.

No one who despises others can pray. In prayer we do not lift ourselves above others. We remember that we are one of a great army of sinning, suffering, sorrowful humanity, all kneeling before the throne of God's mercy.

True Prayer comes from setting our lives beside the life of God not on our fellow creatures like the Pharisee did in today's Gospel. When we set our lives beside the life of Christ Jesus and beside God's holiness, all that is left to say is, God, be merciful to me a sinner.

May God grant us the spirit of humility and grant our heart desires according to His will through Christ our Lord. Amen.